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Jan. 31, 19564 H. RUMsEY, JR

PACKAGE WRAPPING WITH OPENING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed DSG. 4, 195] I N VEN TOR. Heier? jumse'g, J??

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,TTRNE YS Jan. 31, 1956 H. RUMSEY, JR

PACKAGE WRAPPING WITH OPENING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 4, 1951 United States atent 2,732,998 PACKAGE WRAPPING wrm OPENING MEANS Herbert Romsey, Jr., Rochester, N. Y. Application December 4, 1951, serial No. 259,777 f z claims. (c1. 229-87) This invention relates to an improved package` and to the method of making the same. v

In modern merchandising of food products, particularly meat products vsuch as sliced, cut or chopped meat, it is frequently desirable to pre-package the products so as .to iiiake the products more attractive and merchantable -arid so as to save time and so that the products may be handled on a self-service basis.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package and method which is particularly suitable for pre-packaging and which lends itself to modern self-service merchandising.

Frther objects are the provision of an improved package and method in which the package presents an attractive appearance and serves to display the merchandise in an ete'ctive manner and which is simple and inexpensive so that the packaging may take place at the retail Outlet such as a self-'service market, rather than at the source of supply.

Another object is the provision of an improved package of the above character which is secure and strong and will vnot accidentally open but which, nevertheless, may be readily opened when desired Without disturbing or damaging the contents thereof.

lIn the accompanying drawings-` VFig.4 l is a perspective view of a partially completed package after the initial heat sealing operation has been performed thereon;

\ Fig. 2 i's` a detailed sectional view in the direction of the fai-rows on vthe line' 2-2 of Fig; 1, illustrating the "initial heat sealing operation; Fig. 3 is a sectional View in the direction of the arrows on the' line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view similar to Fig. `1 showing the partially completed package after the severing or 4siittin'g operation has been performed thereon;

Fig. 5 isy a detailed sectional View similar to Fig. 2

takenv on the line 5;*5 lof Fig. 4, illustrating the slitting or severing operation;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of a completed package embodying my invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the package in the process of being opened;

Fig. 8 is a `sectional view through the package showing it in the process of being openedas in Fig. 7;

Fig. w9 is a perspective View of the completed package from .the upper surface thereof; and

4 Figs. 10 and l1 are similar perspective views of modi- -edV forms of packages.

package having the overlapping portion so as to cover the slit or severance line and is secured to 'the opening iap to facilitate the opening of the package.

Referring first to the completed package as shown in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9, the package contents which are preferably a foodY product such as sliced, cut or chopped meat are shown at 15 and it is encased in a wrapper of thermoplastic sheet material 16. p

The thermoplastic sheet material may be made of rubber hydrochloride such as that sold commercially as Pliolm, polyvinyl resin such as that sold commercially as Saran, or cellulose ester such as cellulose acetate. The wrapping material is preferably transparent so as to display the contents of the package in an attractive fashion. A sheet of the thermoplastic material is' extended smoothly over the top and sides of the package contents and folded over the bottom surface in the manner shown so as to completely cover the bottom surface and so as to provide the underlying and overlapping portions 17 and 18 adjacent one of the end edges of the package. The sheet of wrapping material should be of greater Width than the package so that when the material is wrapped around the package contents the lateral edges of the wrapping material may be folded downwardly around the sides and against the under surface of the package as shown in Figs. 4-11 inclusive. Y A

Before folding the lateral edges of the wrappingmateriai downwardly beneath the package, the underlying and overlapping portions of the thermoplastic sheet material are heat sealed togethersin som'e suitable fashion as, for instance, in the manner taught in my Patent No. 2,545,243 of March 13, 1951, by providingva plurality of fused apertures extending through both layers of material in registry with each other and heat sealed together around the peripheral edges of the apertures (see Figs. 1-3 inclusive). The fused heat sealed apertures are illustrated at 19 and may be formed by any suitable apparatus such as that shown in my prior Patent No. 2,545,243.

Thus, it wiil be se'en in Fig. 1 l have illustrated the thermoplastic sheet material wrapped around the top, bottom andleadng and trailing edges of the package contents with the underlying andl overlapping edges secured together `by fused apertures 19 having heat sealed peripheral edges and in' Figs. 2 and 3 I have illustrated one step or method for forming the heat sealed apertures. Thus, a plurality of prongs 20 heated to a temperature above the fusing point of the thermoplastic material may be engaged with the overlapping portions of the sheet material as shown so as to form 4fused apertures extending through both layers of material in registry with -eaeh other with the layers of material heat sealed together around the peripheral' edges of l'the' apertures. 'The apertures i9 may conveniently be arranged in a row, as shown. When-the underlying and overlapping portions of the thermoplastic sheet material have thus been heat sealed together I fold the lateraledges of the wrapping material downwardlyv against the under surface of the package as shown in Fig'j4ia'nd then form a slit or line of severance extending through the several layers of material and preferably extending completely across the package. The siit dr line of severance 21 is arranged parallel to the row of apertures and preferably intersects the apertures as shown, althoughit may be spaced a short distance to either side thereof.A j 1 l Thus, in Fig. 5 vI have shown a heat severing blade 22er appropriate length'so that the slit may be fornied completely across the package. The blade is heated to a temperature above the fusing point of the thermoplastic material. it is then brought into contact with the overlapping portions of the thermoplastic material, preferably in a manner so as to intersect the apertures .instructional or display material applied thereto.

19 although, as stated above, the slit may be formed adjacent to but on either side of the apertures. When the blade engages the overlapping layers of thermoplastic sheet material, it fuses a slit or line of severance through all of the layers and, as in the case of the apertures, the respective layers are heat sealed together along the edges of the slit. Undercertain circumstances, this may serve adequately to securethe wrapping material in place.

When the slit has thus been formed, the partially completed package is in the condition shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and the overlapping portion 18 of the outer layer of material provides an opening flap which is free from attachment to the underlying layer, except along the edges of the apertures 19 and the slit 21. By pulling the llap 18, opening of the partially completed package can be initiated. However, due to the fact that the flap 18 is made of material which is no stronger than the remaining portions of the wrapping material and due to the provision of slit 21, the package will not be completely opened.

To facilitate the opening and to provide for more complete opening of the package, I preferably apply over the undersurface of the package a layer of sheet material 23 which is stronger than the'wrapping material and which may be opaque and may have printed advertising, The layer of material 23 may conveniently be formed of paper and is secured by a suitable adhesive or cement, such as rubber cement, to the undersurface of the wrapping material. A thermoplastic cement may be utilized for this purpose and heat is then applied to the surface of the paper to cause the thermoplastic cement to adhere to both surfaces. Upon cooling, the cement sets and the paper is securely held in position.

.In the preferred form of my invention as shown in Figs. l-9'the flap 18 projects beyond the end of the package as shown at 24 and the paper layer 23 similarly protrudes beyond the end of the package and also beyond the edge of tab 24 as shown at`25. By grasping the tabs 24 and 25 between the fingers and pulling outwardly, the package will open in the manner illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. Thus, the flap 18 pulls outwardly from the package to the line of severance 21. Thereafter, the remainderV r of the underlying layer 17 and the overlapping layer pull outwardly from the package contents so as to completely expose the package contents.

The layer of stronger material 23 serves as a suitable base or support for the package as well as in the capacity of an opening member. display printed advertising, instructional or ornamental material. Normally it is sulicient if the layer 23 extends only across the undersurface of the package. However, if desired, it may be extended upwardly and over a portion of the upper surface of the package adjacent one end thereof as shown at 26 in Fig. 10 Additional printing matter may be displayed on the portion 26 if desired.

In the preferred forms of my invention, the projecting tabs 24 and 2S provide a convenient handle to be grasped between Vthe fingers when opening the package. However, since the end of the ap 18 is free from attachment to the underlying layer of wrapping material beyond the slit or line of severance 21, I have found that the tabs 24 and 25 may be eliminated as shown in Fig. 11. Under those circumstances, the package will appear as shown in Fig. 1l with the ap 18 and the flexible opening member 23 terminating along the end vedge of the package.

In each form of my package it will be seen that the package contents are displayed in an attractive manner through the transparent thermoplastic sheet wrapping lt also serves conveniently to fmaterial disposed around the upper portion of the package. Also, in each form of package, the opening member is made of a layer of relatively stronger material secured over the under surface of the package so that when it is grasped between the fingers and pulled outwardly it serves to open the ap and also remove the wrapping material beyond the flap so as to expose the package contents. Also, in each form, the opening member is preferably opaque and may display suitable printed advertising, instructional or ornamental material.

in making each form of my package, it will be seen that the sheet wrapping material is first wrapped around the top, bottom and leading and trailing ends of the package with the end portions of the wrapper in overlapping relationship on the bottom of the package adjacent one end. The overlapping and underlying layers are then heat sealed together and after folding the lateral edges of the wrapper against the bottom of the package, a slit or line of severance is formed through the several layers leaving an opening ap in the outer layer. Finally, a llexible opening member is secured over the under surface of the package and to the ap so that it may be grasped between the lingers and pulled outwardly to facilitate opening of the package. Modifications may be made in the illustrated and described embodiments of my invention without departing from the invention as set forth in the accompanying claims.

I claim:

1. A wrapping for a commercial package comprising a sheet of ilexible thermoplastic wrapping material wrapped smoothly around the top and two opposite ends of the package and folded over the bottom thereof with the two end portions of the wrapping in overlapping and underlying relationship on the bottomrof the package adjacent one end thereof, said overlapping and underlying portions being fused together a spaced distance from the end of the overlapping layer providing a free flap for opening the package in the overlapping layer projecting beyond the fused connection and positioned adjacent said one end of the package, and said wrapping material extending beyond the lateral edges of the package and being folded downwardly over the side edges against the bottom in a straight fold and a flexible protecting and reinforcing sheet of relatively greater strength than the wrapping material secured to and extending over substantially the entire exposed outer surface of the wrapping material and ap at the under portion of the package to provide additional protection and to reinforce the wrapping material in the flap and at the bottom of the package whereby the package may be readily opened by a pulling force applied to the ap.

2. A wrapping for a commercial package as set forth in claim 1 in which a severance line is formed through the superimposed layers of thermoplastic wrapping material extending transversely of the undersurface of the package at the point where the overlapping and underlying portions of wrapping material are fused together, said exible protecting and reinforcing sheet being free from said line of severance.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

